Pages

Not everyone is capable or willing to explore the hidden teachings of the arcane arts.
Internal power cannot be mastered by the lazy or the inattentive.



Wednesday

The ability to lift heavy weights, run, swim or workout in the gym may well improve your overall fitness level.
But this kind of fitness only helps to a certain degree in internal kung fu training.

A student must learn how to use their body in a very different way.
The body needs to become agile, flexible, adaptive, sensitive and strong.
Engorged biceps are not going to help.

Monday

Remember that your aim is not to make an impression.
You can accomplish this by looking at various ways to lessen your presence:
  1. Attire
  2. Deception
  3. Keep to yourself
  4. Possessions
  5. Slow
  6. Soft
  7. Sound
  8. Talk

Wednesday

There is no real consensus as to what constitutes a 'Tai Chi Master'.
Peter Southwood suggested the following guidelines:

•  30-40 years martial arts experience
•  25 years tai chi chuan experience
• 
 20 years teaching experience
•  3
0,000 hours of tai chi practice
• 
 Stage 5 skill with all forms
•  C
apable of teaching other Instructors

Wednesday

Some tai chi principles can be applied in baguazhang but the latter involves more movement, stepping and walking. In bagua you primarily have to remember to move or step when attacked but in tai chi you only step when necessary. Sometimes it's hard to switch between the two. Sifu often shows examples of equivalent tai chi postures and this really helps to differentiate the two approaches.
 

 (Rachel Waller)

Saturday

4 ounces of pressure is easy to say but quite difficult to employ in actual practice because it means stopping every time you encounter resistance.

You must be like sand or water; offering no resistance in your own body and not working against resistance in others.
How is sand or water powerful? Momentum and weight.

Wednesday

What are the 16 treasures?

No, we are not simply going to give you the answer. Finding out for yourself will be vastly more rewarding.

Any tai chi instructor is capable of telling you.
They are the 16 key facets that underpin everything else you do.
16 things that make tai chi work.

All of out students are taught the 16 treasures.
But only the thoughtful, sensitive students sees them.
Without an understanding of their worth, the student may just walk straight past. Then, what has been learned?